Monday 8 October 2012

Making friends in strange places ...

One side effect of being in hospital is that you can become friends with other patients very quickly. Perhaps it's the 'us' and 'them' thing.

I made friends very quickly with G, G and M ... 

We looked out for each other and, I suppose, tried to encourage each other when things weren't going so well.

One of the Gs had a heart attack ten weeks or so ago and he would wake in the night coughing and spitting out all sorts of gunk ... so imagine my surprise and delight when he phoned just an hour ago to tell me he was home. It sounds as though he'd just got home too.

I told him to take it easy [I can tell him this from experience] and we said we'd speak in a few days. In the meantime he sent his best wishes to my family [you know who you are].

After getting frustrated and angry with the Debenhams store card people earlier in the afternoon [don't ask] it was good to hear G's voice, albeit sounding rather tired ... and I was touched that he had phoned me almost as soon as he got home.

It's good to know there are some people who are friendly and caring in this world.

12 comments:

  1. That was a nice surprise for you Charlie,I'm sure you helped him through the tough times too.Lets hope you all make good progress.Ann

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  2. We can but hope Ann ... I was designated as the ward 'teenager' as everyone else was at least ten years older than me.

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  3. Seems you have created a small 'support group'. And not a bad thing, either. It must be difficult going through long drawn out medical treatment, and having the support of others in the same or similar situations can only be a good thing.

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    1. 'support group' is a good way of describing it Mitch. We were all in a similar situation ... except for 'J' who had been diagnosed with dementia and often kept us awake at night. That, as they say, is another story.

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  4. I found the chattiness of other patients a bit irritating at first. But then we all seemed to become quite friendly - shared experiences, like POWs or something. I have also been in touch with someone I met in the ward since, but he doesn't seem to be doing so well. I think it's a really nice thing when your 'support group' continues out of hospital. Now keep away from stores and try to keep calm, Charlie!

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    1. Our lot were never over chatty in fact we were a very quiet bunch on the whole ... but we still had our moments. As for Debenhams, it wasn't so much problems with the store as the store card.

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  5. You are such a social butterfly. I fell in love with your blogs from the first one. So it does not surprise me that hospital mates would want to keep in touch with you. Your life is very interesting to follow. Even this one about other hospital contacts was interesting. I have two folk from 20 years ago when I broke my leg, that I met in hospital, and continued to keep in touch with. You will always find folk to connect with. And that is a good thing as it prevents depression.....Go Baby Go....keep on trucking and talking.

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    1. I am quite friendly though I'm very happy in my own company Karyn. That is just the way I am ... others aren't perhaps so fortunate. In the meantime I'll keep on trucking and talking ... :-)

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  6. How nice that he thought to call you. I can see how sharing a common experience would bring strangers together. Sometimes it takes a person who's been through the same thing you have to truly understand...

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    1. "How nice that he thought to call you." ~ I was very touched when he called me. I really was. He reckons I saved his bacon on three occasions [though I am sure he exaggerates] ~ it's just that he was coughing and he couldn't get to his buzzer and I went and got a nurse for him. It's what anyone would have done ~ I just happened to be looking at him at the time.

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  7. I've not yet had to spend an extended time in hospital, so haven't experienced the camaraderie that you refer to first hand. Does it resemble that 70s ITV sitcom with James Bolam?

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    1. I only vaguely remember the James Bolam sitcom to be honest so couldn't say. There's no rush for you to experience the camaraderie of course ...

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